Samuel Oyadongha
Yenagoa-The Brass Island on the Atlantic fringe is gradually transforming from a rustic rural settlement to becoming the hub of the nation oil and gas industry with the planned establishment of a fabrication yard on the oil rich island worth $7billion by Hyundai Heavy Industries of Korea.
However, the island which is host to the multi billion naira Nigerian Agip Oil Company Brass crude oil export terminal and farm tank as well as host to the yet to be completed Brass LNG plant could only be access by water and air.
The Ogbia-Nembe road being sponsored by the Shell Petroleum Development Company and the Niger Delta Development Commission which could have accelerated development on the island is going at snail speed while the Nembe-Brass flank which cut through the mangrove swamp being handled by the state government appeared to have been abandoned ostensibly due to the cost implication.
Sweetcrude learnt that aside the economic benefits the existing oil terminal had brought to the area and the LNG plant is expected to bring the fabrication yard when established is expected to generate employment for about two thousand youths from the area.
Conscious of the anticipated influx of people to the island in the wake of the siting of the fabrication plant which services is expected to boost the burgeoning oil industry in Bayelsa and the region the state government last week initiated a meeting of stakeholders from the area with a view a providing conducive atmosphere for the Korean firm.
Present at the meeting held at the Government House in Yenagoa were representatives of Okpoama and Odioma communities.
Governor Timipre Sylva explained that the meeting was convened to intimate the communities of the siting of the project and solicited their support and cooperation towards the realization of the project.
Sylva, who noted that the project was a $7billion dollar investment, underscored the need for them to sustain the prevailing peace as government would not condone any disruption when the project commences.
According to Sylva, the project is expected to generate 2000 jobs and would not only be beneficial to the immediate communities but the state and the country at large.
The governor also noted that upon expansion, the project would become a ship building yard and create an avenue for sustainable jobs.
He therefore urged the communities to maintain their peaceful disposition as the state was in dire need of such investments to accelerate its socio-economic development.
In his contribution, Chairman of the Okpoama Council of Chiefs, Chief Amade Obasi, expressed the willingness of the people to cooperate with the company to ensure the establishment of the project.
Some of the natives residing in Yenagoa the state capital Sweet Crude learnt have started registering businesses at the Corporate Affairs Commission with a view to taking advantage of the federal government local content initiative by way of involving in supply jobs.
Other smaller artisans it was further learnt are moving to the island in droves in the anticipation of the coming of the oil servicing companies to the area.
